Tuesday, August 30, 2011

HP Rethink Plan To Kill Off Web OS And Tablet

Okay, something isn't quite right at HP. In spinning off the PC division 12 to 18 months from now, they now believe Web OS will also be a part of those plans, which includes Web OS hardware like the Touchpads. However, I get the feeling they're not talking about the same Touchpads we are.

See, the Touchpad went on sale about two months ago and performed poorly. So bad in fact, that HP lowered the price for the 16 GB model from $500 to $400 and eventually gave up and started a fire sale at $100. And at $100, even I wanted one.

But I get the feeling the delusional HP guys are thinking "wow, they're popular all of a sudden". Ah, guys. they're popular because they are at $99. Granted, they're also good first tablets. But raise the price back up to $500 and you'll see interests in them go away.

I want Web OS to be a viable mobile platform. But in HP's inept hands, it'll never have a chance. And given their plans not to sell off Web OS separately but fold it into the PC part of a sell-off or spin-off, it'll never have a chance.